by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 13 schools for Women’s Softball (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual weighs a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than Occidental College this year for Women's Softball (Division III). Based in Los Angeles, CA, Occidental College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $12,810, with expenses of about $11,959 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Chapman University landed the #2 spot for Women's Softball (Division III). Located in Orange, CA, Chapman University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $9,225 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $9,225 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
California Lutheran University landed the #3 spot for Women's Softball (Division III). California Lutheran University is a private not-for-profit school based in Thousand Oaks, CA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,474, compared with $9,474 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Willamette University ranked #4 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Salem, OR. The program generates about $8,467 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $8,467 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Pacific Lutheran University is one of the top schools for Women's Softball (Division III), at #5. This private not-for-profit school is set in Tacoma, WA. Team revenue averages $11,422 per participant, compared with $9,220 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
George Fox University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Located in Newberg, OR, George Fox University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $11,857 per participant, compared with $11,792 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Lewis & Clark College did well this year, earning the #7 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Portland, OR. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $7,982, against $7,982 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of Redlands came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Located in Redlands, CA, University of Redlands is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $7,104 per participant, with expenses of about $11,800 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Whitworth University placed #9 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division III). Based in Spokane, WA, Whitworth University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $7,567 in revenue per athlete, against $7,567 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Linfield University ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division III). Linfield University is a private not-for-profit school based in McMinnville, OR. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,897, compared with $10,866 spent per athlete. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Puget Sound placed #11 among the best colleges for Women's Softball (Division III). Based in Tacoma, WA, University of Puget Sound is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $6,805 in revenue per athlete, compared with $6,805 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
University of La Verne came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Based in La Verne, CA, University of La Verne is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $7,081 in revenue per athlete, against $6,924 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Whittier College ranked #13 on our 2026 list for Women's Softball (Division III). Located in Whittier, CA, Whittier College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $7,463 per participant, compared with $7,465 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.